surprised white correspondent when he appears in person-"I don't know where you got that, but I don't have nothing to say about that letter, boy:" J. himself: ven- turing South with Mississippi in his mind and apprehensively mixing in the small-town scene, encounters no overt racial slights and finds "more black peo- ple than he expected; he's doing a lot of the old afro-nod, the hello you give to folks when you get out of the city and into friendlier climes." For the J. Sutters of the Republic, the prophetic thunders and righteous wrath of Frederick Douglass and W. E. B. Du Bois and Richard Wright and James Baldwin have dwindled to the mum- bling ambivalences of freedom in a money-driven, publicity-mad consumèr society. A metropolitan book party throngs into J.'s memoI}', and its pan- orama of up-to-date types includes this vignette: "The biracial who adopted a superficial militancy to overcompen- sate for light skin discussed the perfidy of ice people with the gangster rapper ashamed of a placid upbringing in a middle-class suburb." As assimilation and integration achieve their dilutions and ironies, what remains worth fighting for? How does a black man save his soul? Fortunate black citizens are now privi- leged to share the moral inconsequence of the entire society; this is progress of a sort, but not necessarily aesthetic progress. In ''John Henry Days," the sepia mood has produced an ambitious, finely cruselled work frustratingly vague in its resolution. At the end, the novel falls into the jackhammer prose of old newsreel voice-overs, and delivers what is either the best-disguised happy ending or the most muffled tragic note of the publishing season. J. stands there "as if choices are possible" but says nothing. Well, if choices aren't possible, why is he taking up space in the middle of a work of fiction? The novel's nominal hero de- cided to battle a machine and won, los- ing his life in the process.J. has his qual- ities, but he's no John Henrr . From the Fayetteville (Ark.) Northwest Ar- kansas Times. Byron contends Argus' planned removal of the trees will kill several red-tailed hawks that are nesting in the grove in violation of the Federal Migratory Bird Act. John Ashcroft take note. ., . zt s tzme to lose weight The Duke Diet & Fitness Center -- a place to help you learn how to control your weight and develop a healthier lifestyle. Our medically supervised program is one of the most successful in the field with more than 40% of our clients keeping the weight off for more than five years. We offer a sensible, individualized approach to weight loss and lifestyle planning. Find out how you can change your life. Call the Duke Diet & Fitness Center today at 1-800-235-3853. , Duke Diet and Fitness Center DUKE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM make the chang ten .. . last a lifetime www.dukedietcenter.org . f= - :::- , "",, ;: ..2;;:;; ,;..,,::! ADVENTURE PACKAGES: The Talk Of The Cliff I;;.! ', . }; ! www.cliffho usema ine.com · PO Box 2 274, Og unquit, ME 03907. 207-361-1 . . . i :; ", '<"18 . :;.. .:" .. / i: < j . 3:,:,'7'.:;t: . ' " : -::m . ;::f $} . 0f .;:F :}:f.':' ': : ' ; : { . . :.t -' ..C .;RJ.mm\ .j : Ró)r;) Qlf1R , : , . ",, '" ,+:",<c'"':'jonPl:,ner" ," I.J'\JJJ. J J Jd . 'i<".' . '"';t 'A '::-,,'" $?; ,x Lr J' L "':'" /:' PlmÆPJ 1 '"l rNlb ' I' '," """ h>l:' {'" J J : ß1t }'< , , %1 *. ,',':, , .. 'J.&, ,\ ( W B "': ,. t,:: :; .; '-.::l'V ' n '1. n":, /. ;!!" @JJjJ] ':1æ. ;;,f r ">'\">:""! .... .:>:: .: ,' .. .< í i:, I '}V ÍÍ r.; /l ti 1íl. . , oOo,n", With 35 Caribbean destinations it's no wonder you have more of everything. But with so much to choose from, you could use some help. That's what the Caribbean Vacation Planner is for over 136 pages of photos and information on everything you need to know before you go. And it's free! Just call 1-800-356-9999, ext. 913 or visit us at www.doitcaribbean.com , , , . . .' l" ... ........ "ý'................ ....^..-.......... ...... . .:-.-: ",=.. ....-.i;.::;.;.:. '.': ...... x :t...:..:.... .t.:..... ........ -,: '" ... .....:. - '. - - yLISTENUP- , LITERALLY. 10:05 LEAVE ALBANY 12:30 ARRIVE WATERLOO KITCHEN _ . l." \ ,u: Itu 1.1 .( tl ',UY l; ". ..- .f Download and listen to audiobooks while you commute, exercise, or do just about anything. Browse our impressive library. TRY US! Writers and T heir Su bJect: Histor The New Yorker Literary ,and Arts Festival , ...... .f:' . READ BY THE AUTHOR Get a FREE copy of an audiobook! visit www.audible.com A KØì -.- A proud supporter a.mtrak"com THE NEW YOR.KER., MAY 7, 2001 89